When I was in Bible College, there were four "tracks" of study that you could take: Music Ministry, Youth Ministry, Pastoral Ministry, and Missions. For me, at the time, it was Youth Ministry or Music Ministry. I was okay with Pastoral Ministry. Missions: "I'm good, thanks." I had no overwhelming desire to leave my nice, comfortable, American life and go off to live in the bush, eating bugs and translating the Bible into obscure languages that I didn't even know. I had heard numerous horror stories about being a missionary; wearing second or third hand clothes sent from the states, getting all kinds of shots to avoid obscure diseases, receiving used and dried out tea bags sent in care packages by little old ladies, being killed. None of that was appealing to me.
My wife is an MK (Missionary Kid). A part of her has always wanted to go back overseas. Every once in awhile she would suggest that in some form like being houseparents at a mission school or a pastor to expats. I would usually graciously smile and ignore the whole conversation.
I never set out to be a Missionary. But when you finally decide to stop steering the boat yourself and just put up the sail and let the Wind take you where it's going to... it is amazing where the Holy Spirit will end up blowing you. For us, right now the boat seems to be heading on a course for Thailand.
At the end of Pirates... Curse of the Black Pearl, Jack says, "Bring me that horizon". Maybe he's running from something, maybe he's running to something. Maybe he just knows that he's supposed to be over there... wherever "there" is. The thing is; with the horizon, you don't always know what you'll find once you're there. Heading off to the horizon is an ultimate act of faith. But, perhaps more important; the horizon isn't a destination. It's always out there ahead of you. It's a never-ending journey. It's not a single step of faith, it's a life of faith.
Right now, faith has us in the boat heading for Thailand. There is lots to do in preparation. But, like Captain Jack Sparrow, we know that's where we're supposed to be.
Bring me that horizon!
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